Izzi Pizza: The Mozzarella Bubbles in Pondok Indah

Why do I use the above title?

Attending the launch of Izzi
Pizza's first restaurant in Jakarta last month, I couldn't find the words
to describe the fresh-from-the oven dish sitting in front of me. Flipping
through my culinary bible a few days later, I read a description made
by Leon Gessi in Rome et ses environs about pizza: "A blossoming
flower, noble and full of fragrant odours; Mozzarella bubbles in the heat
of the fire, revealing spots of oil and touches of tomato. Rust-coloured
streaks soften the bright red of these touches, but it is the anchovy
puree which strengthens the taste on the palate - which is difficult to
define because it subtly covers a range extending from a sweet kiss to
a sharp bite."

That's where I got the 'mozzarella bubbles' part. I can't describe
pizza better than Mr. Gessi did. I'd just describe it as: "A slab of bread
with tomato puree, shredded cheese and whatever is left in the fridge
on top of it. And calories, calories and calories!"

Seriously, what is a pizza? It is actually a popular Italian dish
originating from Naples. In its simplest form it consists of a thin slab
of bread dough spread with thick tomato puree and Parmesan or Mozzarella
cheese, seasoned with herbs and garlic, then baked in an oven. There are
countless varieties of pizza, garnished with vegetables, etc. It can be
served as an entrée, a savoury or a snack.

Location & Looks. Izzi Pizza, located at
Pondok Indah Plaza I, Blok UA 64, Metro Pondok Indah, South Jakarta, is
the first of 14 Izzi Pizza restaurants planned to open within the next
three years. People can hardly miss this place, as their huge bright blue
neon sign above the door could attract blind bugs from a mile away. Promising
to serve "real Italian Pizza" with authentic Italian ingredients, the
restaurant's interior is far from anything Roman. Consisting of two floors,
the place can accommodate about 104 patrons. Their design concept is stylish,
clean, artistic yet comfortable. The guests can even enjoy a rare view
of the restaurant's pizzaiolos as they twirl and flip their pizza
dough in the air from the show kitchen on the ground floor.

What It's Got: "We provide the best quality
- Italian crunchy pizza, pasta and deserts with affordable prices and
good service in a friendly environment," promised Andy Ryan, the Planet
Hollywood veteran, not an Italian migrant, who manages IZZI Pizzeria.

My friends and I searched the menu seeking out weird and wonderful
antipasti, pizzas and desserts. First night syndrome struck - while all
of my friends were ready to nibble on their steaming hot food, the waiter
told me that he had forgotten my order. I had to wait another fifteen
minutes, he told me. Why does this always happens to food reviewers?

Taste Factor: For anchovy lovers, try ordering
their Caesar Salad for an appetiser. Unlike the usual Caesar Salad recipe,
the anchovy was not pureed within the sauce, instead the salty fish -
as big as your forefinger - was laid on top of a bed of fresh romaine
lettuce, surrounded by crunchy croutons. It was good as the 'fishy' flavour
and the saltiness of the anchovy created were more controlled, though
I found that the sauce - they call it Izzi Pizza's special dressing -
had a strong peppery taste.

From the antipasti list, the Izzi Dough Balls are the perfect choice,
especially when you're starving and can't wait till the waiter delivers
your main course. The eight dough balls arrived freshly from the oven
accompanied with garlic butter. The balls tasted a bit yeasty (no pun
intended!), but the butter, which instantly melted on the smooth surface
of the balls, added a delicious zest of garlic.

Izzi Pizza has included a variety of vegetarian pizzas in their menu.
Funghi pizza was served with mushroom, garlic, mozzarella and tomato topping.
Vegetable Pizza had a vegetarian's favourite ingredients including broccoli,
red bell pepper, onion, zucchini and mushrooms. I discovered that the
strong flavour produced by the sliced bell peppers somewhat dominated
the whole dish. The combination of the delicate and fruity flavour of
the walnuts and Gorgonzola's sharp tang in the Fiorentina Pizza was irresistible.

Probably swept by his past role in dealing with big Hollywood movie
stars, Andy Ryan just couldn't help naming one of his pizzas Al Pacino.
The fresh, authentic flavoured pizza had black olives, onions, mozzarella
and tomato toppings. The dark and mysterious aura of the actor, Al Pacino,
was captured somewhere in the ripe olives, the Mediterranean fruit whose
tree, according to Greek mythology, sprang from the ground when Pallas
Athene struck Acropolis with her spear.

For seafood addicts, Cervino Pizza with smoked salmon and zucchini
and Marinara Pizza with shrimps, mussels, garlic and chilli were surprisingly
not too rich - and very enjoyable.

From the meaty offerings, I tried Milano Pizza, which is topped with
Italian beef sausages, Gorgonzola, mozzarella and tomato. Presentation
wise, it looked dreadful. The sausages were just too thickly sliced. One
of my friends said: "If a pizza that looks like this tastes nice, then
I'm sure the rest of the food listed in the menu tastes wonderful." Believe
it or not, the sausage pizza was quite yummy.

The famous Sicilian ice cream, Cassata, which is a smooth blend of
chocolate, mocha and vanilla flavoured ice cream, and Tartufo, Izzi Pizza's
dark chocolate ice cream, flavoured with mocha and sprinkled with cocoa
powder, were just delightful. They portrayed the cool dim autumn in Rome

Price Points: Izzi Pizza offers good value
for money. The price of the pizzas varied between Rp 19,500 and Rp 35,500
each. A three-course dinner for two will cost from Rp 120,000 to Rp 200,000.

Minus Points: Slightly soft surface topped
heavily with rich toppings, the pizza bread tasted a little far from crunchy.
I also found that the dried oregano, sprinkled on top of every pizza after
cooking, a bit annoying. Oregano, also known as wild marjoram, is a herb
with a pungent flavour. In its dried form, it has a much stronger flavour
and is subtler if added in the beginning of cooking process. Maybe it
has something to do with the fact that the word pizza derives from an
Italian verb meaning to sting?

Verdict: Izzi Pizza is a great place to have
a relaxing meal with your family or even with your beer, or wine buddies.
Great food, good location, and Izzi Pizza's commitment to allocate Rp
50 million a year as a donation to the WWF for Nature is noble. This will
be taken from the sales of their Clive Special and Pepperoni Special Pizzas.
Well, that made me feel less guilty when consuming a big bite of the cheesy
dish!